Smart, Connected Packaging Machines

The Power of Digital Transformation Starts with Smart, Connected Machines

Connected machines leverage information into better control over packaging operations. Control translates into quantifiable improvements across a spectrum of production performance measures. This makes smart machines essential to operationalizing digital transformation on the packaging production floor.

Technology Excellence Awards Winner!

We are thrilled to announce that Harpak-ULMA Packaging has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Technology Excellence Award in the category of General Packaging and Processing for our innovative solution, “AI Enabled Augmented Reality for Transforming Packaging Operations.”

Technology Excellence Award

Smart, Connected Solutions

A smart, connected machine combines mechanical and electrical components, smart components, such as sensors, microprocessors, data storage, and controls software, and connectivity components like ports, antennae, protocols, and networks. They are designed to:

Smart Connected Solutions
Unlike legacy packaging platforms, they anticipate tight integration between plant operations and information technologies. The features that make them “smart” also make them more flexible and therefore easier to adapt to changing business conditions.
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Digital Transformation translates to operational benefits, like reduced downtime, anomaly reduction, faster NPI, OEE improvement, better asset utilization and lower TCO.

Our CEO, Kevin Roach, participated in PTC’s Vuforia Live event this past May. He talks about redefining packaging operations with augmented reality.

As part of ROKLive 2020, Kevin presented on digital transformation and our vision for transformation in the packaging industry.

Rockwell Automation - Gold OEM Partner

Smart, connected packaging solutions help you meet demands through flexibility, greater connectivity, better insight, superior accuracy, continuous improvement, integrated safety and widely-supported training resources and parts.

 
PTC

Working Closely in Partnership with Rockwell Automation & PTC

How easily can you adapt packaging operations to changing market demands?
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We offer smart, connected packaging platforms that reduce the complexity, time, and cost of building or extending any automated packaging solution. Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture® replaces multiple, disparate control systems with one common framework for control, visualization, motion, safety and networking – converging control and information into a single, secure high-performance architecture for your packaging lines. Improve agility and performance at a lower total cost  of ownership. Our integrated automation platform means your packaging lines:

5 Reasons a Single, Integrated Automated Controls & Information Architecture Matters

Competitive Maintenance Model Widespread direct access to Allen Bradley® parts and technicians from multiple sources on a global scale.
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Accessible & Secure Information A more secure approach to combining control system with operational data to deliver in-context, actionable performance information in real-time to staff and systems.
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Simplified Integration A single, integrated architecture network simplifies infrastructure sand reduces Integration risks by improving ease of real-time operations data collection, transfer and analysis.
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Embedded Intelligence Smart controls raise your organization’s Packaging Process IQ by providing accurate, real-time contextual diagnostics information and analytics to staff or other systems.
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Agility Digitally-driven capabilities and functions improve your ability to implement change faster and with less risk.
AB Controls in Cabinet
Road Map

The Roadmap to Operationalize Digital Transformation

The convergence of physical and cyber worlds impacts every aspect of society. Packaging is no different. With voice of customer in mind, we built a 4-stage, multi-year roadmap to operationalize digital transformation across a customers’ packaging operation. Our four-stage strategic plan is founded on a premier partnership with Rockwell Automation, with a focus on building every customer solution based on the Allen Bradley® Integrated Architecture™ controls platform.

Augmented Reality for Your Packaging Operation

AR is making it possible to more quickly train or provide expert guidance to a workforce, and provide them the information they need at the right time and with the correct context.
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Staff can be guided through how to get a machine back up and running, perform a product line changeover, or be alerted to a performance issue using AR technologies. We see the AR value proposition as delivering significant productivity gains in human labor; improvements on the order of 30-60% depending on the specific application.
AR Work Instructions
Smart Industry Award Logo

Harpak-ULMA Chosen as Smart Industry IIoT Pioneer Award Recipient for 2020

The IIoT Pioneer Award is intended to honor an industrial original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that has leveraged digital technologies to create new ways to increase value for its customers, and as a result created new revenue streams for itself.

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Recognized for successfully envisioning, planning and executing the digital transformation (DX) of one or more aspects of our business through the application of digital and disruptive technologies, Harpak-ULMA was selected as a recipient for 2020.